Untitled record

Application filed January 22, 1897. Serial No. 620,270. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Rufus H. Park, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, 5 have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Liquid-Separators, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in a device to be used for separating liquids of to different specific gravity, but contained in the same vessel, and while it is more especially designed and intended to be used for separating the foam or froth from beer, yet it may be used for separating other liquids 15 of different specific gravity; and it consists in certain peculiarities of the construction, novel arrangement, and operation of the various parts thereof, as will be hereinafter more fully set forth and specifically claimed, so The main objects of my invention are, first, to provide a liquid-separator which may be used in a vessel of the ordinary construction— that is, open at one end only—or in a vessel having both of its ends open and specially 25 constructed and equipped for the operation and use of the parts of the separator, and, second, such a device which may be readily applied to or removed from the vessel and by means of which the separation of the liquids 30 may be accomplished in a quick and easy manner.

In order to enable others skilled in the art to which my invention pertains to make and use the same, I will now proceed to describe 35 it, referring to the accompanying drawings, in which—

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of a vessel, showing it filled with a liquid a portion of which is of less specific gravity than 40 the other part and illustrating the separating disk or plate at a point to divide the same. Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical sectional view of an empty vessel, showing its top covered, the separating disk or plate therein, and the 45 manner of moving said disk vertically within the vessel. Fig. 3 is a plan view thereof with the cover and stem for operating the disk removed. Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view of a portion of the stem, showing it foreshort5 0 ened for the convenience of illustration. Fig.

is a perspective view of a portion of the separating-disk with its socket-piece to receive the operating-stem. Fig. 6 is an internal perspective view of a portion of one of the covers for the vessel. Figs. 7, 8, and 55 9 are detail views in section of a portion of the separating-disk, showing modifications in the manner of securing thereto an annular cushion. Fig. 10 is a plan view showing a modification in the construction of the sepa- 60 rating-disk, and Fig. 11 is a vertical sectional view illustrating a modification in the construction of the vessel and showing the manner of operating the modified form of disk therein. 65

Similar letters refer to like parts throughout the different views of the drawings.

A represents a vessel, which may be made of any suitable size and material, but preferably of glass, and, as shown in Figs. 1 to 3, 70 inclusive, of the drawings, is closed at its ' lower portion with a bottom L and is formed with a cylindrical hollow of about equal size throughout its length. The upper portion of the vessel is provided on its outer surface 75 with a number of projections a, usually three, equidistant apart, to engage the inclined grooves b in the cover B, which is formed with a central opening b' for the passage of the stem C, used for operating the separat- 80 ing-disk. Secured to the lower surface of the cover and around the opening b' therein is a washer or ring b², of rubber or other suitable material, through which the stem C passes to allow it to be moved or turned, yet to prevent 85 the escape of the liquid from the vessel. The cover B is formed with an annular rim or flange b³, which is provided with inclined grooves b, each commencing with a vertical opening δ⁴, and are for the reception of the 90 pins a on the vessel, as above stated.

The separating disk or plate D is somewhat smaller than the cavity of the vessel and is formed with two segmental openings d, which are closed by means of the doors or shut-offs 95 d', secured on the stub d², formed with a groove d³ to receive the reduced portion c of the operating-stem. Secured to the periphery of the disk D is an annular cushion or ring e, made of rubber or other soft material 100 and employed to produce a close fit of the disk within the vessel, yet to allow the disk s

593,333 to be moved therein. The upper central portion of tlie disk I) is provided with a tubular piece or socket d³, whose upper end is formed with a vertical slot g and a horizontal slot g' 5 for the reception of the pin c' on the lower end of the operating-stem. As shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the grooved stub d² fits within the j tube or socket d³ and passes through the disk and is riveted or otherwise rigidly fixed to the io segmental doors d', which lie closely against, the lower surface of the disk and close the similarly-shaped openings d' therein. The periphery of the disk D (see Figs. 2 and 3) is formed with a curved portion h and has se-^; cured on its lower surface an oppositelycurved portion or ring h', which portions embrace or clamp the cushioning-ring e, -as shown, and securely hold it in position.

In Fig. 7 I have shown a portion of the disk 20 provided at its periphery and on its lower surface with an enlargement It²·, formed with a circular groove to receive the ring e, and in Fig. '8 have illustrated a part of the disk with a fork h³ at its periphery to receive a flat ring 25 or cushion e', while in Fig. 9 is illustrated another manner of securing a cushioning-ring e² thereto, which consists in forming the periphery of the disk with a concave enlarge-; ment h³, in which the ring e² may be placed 30 and secured by cement.

It is apparent that I may employ any of the above-described or any other means of securing the cushioning-ring on the disk; but the. construction shown in Fig. 2 is preferable, i 35 In Fig. 101 have illustrated a modified form of the separating-disk, which consists of the_:disk or plate D', having a single opening d^s, which is closed by means of a door or shutoff cP, secured on the stub d², as before. In 40 this modification the disk may be provided With a cushioning-ring in any of the abovementioned or other suitable ways and is provided, as before, with a socket-piece d³ for the operating-stem.

In Fig. 11 is shown a modified construction of the vessel, which consists in employing a vessel A', which is open at both of its ends and provided with projections a to engage the covers B' and B², which are identical in con50 struction with the cover B, except the cover B' has no opening and the cover B² is provided with an opening &' and a washer b² near its periphery, as is clearly shown.

The operation of my device is simple and 55 as follows: The liquid or liquids may be placed in the vessel, when the cover B, with the separating-disk D lying close toits lower surface and the operating-stem C passing through its opening, may be placed on the top 60 of the vessel and there secured by a slight turn, which will cause the projections a to engage the inclined grooves b, thereby forcing the cover downwardly until the washer b⁵rests against its upper end, which will pre6.5 vent: leakage. The vessel may then be inverted, when the lighter liquid will rise, after which the doors or shut-offs cl’ may be turned, so as to open the openings d in the disk, by turning the stem C, whose reduced portion c and pin d fit in the groove d^s of the stub cP 70 and slot g' of the socket, respectively. The disk may then be moved to the dividing-line of the lighter and heavier liquid, when the doors may be turned back to close the openings and the vessel again inverted, when the 75 cover and stem may be removed, thus leaving the disk in the position shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings, so that the lighter liquid I will rest on the bottom L of the vessel and the heavier liquid I' remain in the upper por- 80 tion thereof to be emptied or drank.

In using the construction shown in Fig. 11 the cover B², with the disk lying close thereto and the stem extending through its opening, may be secured on one end of the vessel ana 85 the liquid then placed therein, after which the cover B' may be placed and secured on the other end of the vessel. The shut-off or door d⁶ may then be turned and the disk moved by means Of the stem to the dividing-line of 90 the two liquids, when the door or shut-off thereof may be closed by turning the stem, after which the vessel may be inverted and the stem, together with the cover B², removed, thus leaving the lighter liquid in the lower 95 part and the heavier liquid Γ in the upper part of the vessel. , .

It is apparent that instead of using the disk D' and cover B² the cover B and disk I) maybe employed on the modified form of the too vessel, and it is also apparent that the disk D' and cover B² may be used on a vessel constructed as shown in Figs. 1 and -2 of the drawings· . .